folkie wrote: Diesel has priced itself out of the equation, it no longer enjoys a clear cost advantage.
Don't count diesel out of this equation. Our first motor home was a 2001 Mirada 34MBS on a Ford F53 chassis and the V10. About the best I could get out of the V10 was 8mpg on our current motor home equipped with Cummins 5.9 L ISB (approx 24,000 pounds) the best I gotten is about 11 mpg.
That about 38% better mileage than the V10.
Which means I would use 38% more gas with the V10 to go the same distance.
With today prices at the Flying J on I75 exit 320 in Georgia:
Gas @ $3.99 per gallon + 38% = $5.58 per gallon
Diesel @ 4.69
That's a difference of almost 89 cents per gallon in favor of diesel.
So comparing gas to diesel fuel prices is not a good comparison unless you take into consideration the better mileage of the diesel engine.
Thank you all for taking the time to share your experience, WOW it's all over the place, I was kind of hoping for a clear winner but I can see that's not going to happen. I was so sure that the GM workhorse would be the one and I have been leaning towards the GM with the Alison Transmission, but to be real about this since we are shopping the used market (e-bay seems to have the best pricing opportunities.....any comments???) for a starter level class A, I think we will just have to follow the advice, "If we like the floorplan and it fits our needs, write the check."
FYI: Our needs include low miles, spotless and babied, kept in a dark dry cave for 5 years and the folks take a liking to us so much that they just give the unit to us. Hey! I know this 24 year old guy in Maine who was given yes GIVEN a 36 foot sloop because the (obviously wealthy) owner became impatient waiting for a buyer HONEST!
All joking aside, thank you all so much for taking the time to respond, you are truly helping us through this decision.
My 30’ 1998 Itasca over a 1999 F53, V-10, 6.8 Liter, 275hp registering 80,769 miles on it and carrying a usual weight of 15,200 plus 2,860# Vibe with KarKaddy dolly has averaged 8.45 in the 27,646 miles plus 32 hours of generator time & three years that I have driven it. I maintain a speed of 62 mph on interstates and 55 on other roads. As you can see from the map below we have covered quite a bit of mountain country. I believe that individual tank mpg vary too much to worry about because of traveled terrain, station topography & fuel pump nozzle sensitivity; therefore overall long term average is the only true analysis of a vehicle’s mileage.
Dave
Plus New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island & Nova Scotia
Quite a wide range of answers because quite a wide range of:
1. Weight/Size
2. Driving Speed
3. Driving Habits
As an example, if one coach is 28' long and is driven at 55 MPH with another that is 37' long and pulling a full size PU at 70 MPH WILL ABSOLUTELY give different results even with the same engine/transmission.
folkie wrote: Diesel has priced itself out of the equation, it no longer enjoys a clear cost advantage.
Don't count diesel out of this equation. Our first motor home was a 2001 Mirada 34MBS on a Ford F53 chassis and the V10. About the best I could get out of the V10 was 8mpg on our current motor home equipped with Cummins 5.9 L ISB (approx 24,000 pounds) the best I gotten is about 11 mpg.
That about 38% better mileage than the V10.
Which means I would use 38% more gas with the V10 to go the same distance.
With today prices at the Flying J on I75 exit 320 in Georgia:
Gas @ $3.99 per gallon + 38% = $5.58 per gallon
Diesel @ 4.69
That's a difference of almost 89 cents per gallon in favor of diesel.
So comparing gas to diesel fuel prices is not a good comparison unless you take into consideration the better mileage of the diesel engine.
Anyway just my .02 cents worth...
I agree, my 7.4 pulled off about 8mpg pulling my 5er, and my diesel averages about 13-14mpg, do the math and you saving a bunch of money, and also driving a lot further between fuel stops,pulls effortlessly , the list goes on. I wouldn't even consider a gas truck again unless it's a small grocery getter 4cyl. for around town.
I just bought a new Tiffin. I had to choose between Ford, Chevy or FRED chassis. In my research, the Ford and chevy were getting 7 - 8 MPG pulling a 35' 22,000 lb. Class A around. The FRED chassis was gettign 10 - 11 MPG pulling around the same 22,000 lbs. Big difference 7 MPG to 11 MPG.
I decided to get the FRED. No great justification as to why. I got a little better than 11 MPG on my 400 mile trip home. Not bad for a new engine!
Good Luck.
OK I will bite, what exactly is a FRED chassis, I love the sound of the MPG.
Thanks
Brian.
One thing every one will agree on is that the Older Ford V-10 will respond more significantly to headers than the 8.1 Evidently, the first V-10 did not breath real well, so headers and intake improvements will make a more dramatic difference with the older V-10. The newer V-10 is not as significant.
This is not trying to suggest that the 8.1 does not respond to headers and intake improvements, just that these add ons will make more difference with the Ford. SO if you shop and find a Ford you like, but feel that it needs help, realize there is more help available with the Ford.
Another thing to consider is service centers. Workhorse Authorized Service centers are few and far between. For example, I live in VA and there are only four Workhorse Service centers in the whole state. The closest one to me is thirty miles away and they can never seem to get me in. I ended up having to travel 50 miles to a service center in Maryland. I doubt I'd have that issue if I had a Ford Chassis.
For comparisons sake, I owned an 05 29ft Class C on the Ford V10 Chassis that I drove for 9000 miles and never had a single problem with the chassis.
I now have an 07 35ft Class A on the Workhorse W20 8.1l/Allison chassis that I've put just under 9000 miles on. So far the rear axle and the A/C compressor have failed, I had to replace the air intake with an aftermarket air intake because the air filter gets soaked when driving in the rain, and I replaced the stock Bilstein shocks with KONI FSD shocks to improve the jarring ride. I sometimes wonder why I paid extra for the Workhorse chassis.
I believe the best choice (besides the floorplan) comes down to year. First of all, get a 2000 or newer chassis (not motorhome, but chassis). The chassis is often one year older then the year of the motorhome.
Then the choice between Ford and Workhorse comes down to the year. From 2000-2003, the Ford V10 at 310 hp and their chassis is a better choice. I think it was 2004 when Workhorse combined their W chassis, the 340 hp 8.1 and a 5 or 6 speed Allison and this is a better setup than the the 310 hp V10 with Ford's 4 speed offered at the same time. When you get to the 2006 chassis, Ford improved their rig with a 5 speed transmission and 362 hp----probably a "push" between the two.
By the way, I just did the math for the last 2900 miles of pulling a 5000 lb Explorer through Banff, Jasper and up to Whitehouse, Yukon with our rig. Usually drove between 55 and 58 (except going down some of the mountains) and we're averaging 6.4 mpg.
When everything is said and done, you will make much more difference in mpg than the choice between these 2 good engines.
Mark
2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a Ford chassis
2003 Ford Explorer toad with US Gear brakes,
ReadyBrute tow bar, and Demco base plate.
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Hey! I know this 24 year old guy in Maine who was given yes GIVEN a 36 foot sloop because the (obviously wealthy) owner became impatient waiting for a buyer HONEST!
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